I’ve nearly got my computer back to where it was yesterday before I clicked on the wrong thing and had to do a complete restore of operating system and all my programs. Oops.
It was going to be a struggle to find six things this week in any case, though thankfully Eowyn didn’t hit us too hard so I don’t have that excuse. Not having access to pictures was more of a problem; I suppose I could have retaken them on my phone and tried to do a post from my iPad but it’s not what I’m used to.
Anyway, here we are, another Saturday and six items of interest from my garden, or yours, or someone’s, are required to make good on the meme’s requirement to post six of said items on a social medium and put a link to it in the comments below. Complicated? Not really, and there’s a participants guide here too.
One.
OK, this is cheating on a grand scale, but Sue is down under, visiting the family, so it is too good an opportunity to miss. I remember when they planted this and it was all at scratching and eye poking level. No more. Bismarckia nobilis.
Two.
Dudleya brittonii is on an altogether different scale but might just have the edge for the farina or wax or whatever its protective/reflective dusting consists of. It’s also in the greenhouse here, so legit.
Three.
The silvery leaved thing got me thinking about Astelia but I’ve done A. chathamica often enough so here is Astelia nervosa ‘Westland’ for a change. Another front garden plant that gets overlooked when I’m looking for Saturday sixers.
Four.
Cyrtomium falcatum is a handsome evergreen fern that I have growing beneath a tall Pittosporum where it usually struggles to compete, but 2024 was wet enough for it to be as happy as it’s ever been. Handsome evergreens are desperately needed for January posts but oddly, this one has never had a Saturday outing.
Five.
I’m over looking at the fern and I notice that there are a lot of Pittosporum tenuifolium ‘Elizabeth’ leaves lying on the ground. Even evergreens don’t hang onto their leaves forever but I don’t recall seeing quite such an abrupt and extensive drop from this tree in previous years. I thought I had another item for my six when I realised that lying among the leaves was a hedgehog. My first thought was that he shouldn’t have been out by day, followed immediately by the realisation he was dead. Too small? Not enough food? A couple of weeks ago I was feeling cautiously optimistic that they were back after a lean period over summer.
Six.
On a slightly more cheerful note, the first crocus are starting to open, at least when the sun chooses to shine. They didn’t do a lot to lift my mood after the hedgehog but life goes on. These are a C. tomasinianus form but it’s no longer clear which one.
There you, that’s my offerings for this week. Bit more of a struggle than usual with the technical problems combining with a paucity of material. I’m going with new shoots in my header picture in an effort to bring a touch of optimism to proceedings. ‘Til next week, tara.
garden ruminations 
Many more outdoor things to celebrate in your part of the world than here in the Midwest U.S. where we’ve been subzero F here for a bit. Now we’re warmer, but not many plants to celebrate outside until March. I think “cheating” on those first items is OK and fun. Thanks for sharing the Crocuses and evergreens, too. 🙂
Beth @ PlantPostings.com
LikeLike
So sad to lose a hedgehog. Evergreens really come into their own at this time of year.
LikeLike
Oh no! I’m sorry about your little hedgehog :(. I’m thrilled you shared the bismarckia, they are stunning. Your Dudleya looks perfect.
LikeLike
LikeLike
Jim, I love the Dudleya brittonii. The Bismarckia nobilis I am sure I have seen these in a hotel garden on the southern algarve where it is a lot hotter. Stunning.
LikeLike
Oh no…I hate that the little thing didn’t make it..very sad
LikeLike
Sorry to see your dead hedgehog, it’s ears since I have seen them round here. Lovely to see some plants from down under . Fabulous Dudleya, I’ve never seen it before.
LikeLike
My favorite this week is the Dudleya. Under happier circumstances, I’d have said the hedgehog. The palm tree is very handsome, but I can see where it would be annoying until it gets some height if it is too close the the sidewalk.
I continue my tour of the Birge Greenhouse. Itching to get back there.
https://wisconsingarden.wordpress.com/2025/01/25/january-25-2024-six-on-saturday/
LikeLike
Ack! computers. Such a double edged sword. I have been trying to clear my cache this week. Whatever that means. Now getting emails from Steves Leaves! haven’t bought anything yet…That is a handsome fern. I love them and am now wondering if they grow here. Always a corner turned when you see the crocus..https://theshrubqueen.com/2025/01/25/six-on-saturday-billbergias-and-begonias/
LikeLike
You are amazing! You had a touch of optimism despite your terrible computer problems. I’m so glad you were able to put things back together.
LikeLike
I really can’t wait to see new shoots appearing in our garden…
LikeLike
Oh no, poor little hedgehog, it must have been an awful find. The crocus is the first I’ve seen this year and very welcome. Sue’s shots are, as ever, warming. I’m hoping the storm wasn’t too cruel on our little band. Here are mine, and yes, it was a struggle this week https://offtheedgegardening.com/2025/01/25/six-on-saturday-getting-there/
LikeLiked by 2 people
Poor hedgehog. I hope the young one in our garden makes it through the winter okay. That Dudleya brittonii is a beauty https://onemanandhisgardentrowel.wordpress.com/2025/01/25/six-on-saturday-25-january-2025/
LikeLiked by 1 person
My commiserations over the death of one of your hedgehogs. I must admit I shed a tear when I found one in a similar way a few years back. However there is something uplifting about the first crocuses. Here is my contribution: https://noellemace.blogspot.com/2025/01/crassula-buddhas-temple-has-top-billing.html
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dudleya brittonii is native to Baja California, but is supposedly not native near here. I really thought that it was, since I thought that I saw it growing wild east of Santa Maria. Regardless, it, as well as the species that I saw growing wild, are so strikingly silvery, especially against the mundanely tan chaparral soil that they inhabit. Bismarckia nobilis became more popular than it had been here a few years ago, but is not as common now. I think that those who planted them realized how broad they can get. The older version of it was not so silvery. The first specimen that I ever met was within the Conservatory of Flowers (greenhouse) within Golden Gate Park, probably because no one knew how resilient it is to frost when it was put there. Goodness, I get carried away. These are my six, all from the same site, which does not involve much vegetation.
https://tonytomeo.com/2025/01/25/six-on-saturday-el-catedral-de-santa-clara-de-los-gatos-ii/
LikeLiked by 1 person
An early start today but I’ll check back in later.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This succulent is superb! I love it. About the bismarckia it’s funny because just this week, my first seeds that I brought back from Reunion Island started to germinate, I’m going to put them in a pot in a week or 2… This palm tree with silver foliage is amazing, but unfortunately impossible to grow in the ground of our regions, we have to resign ourselves. Here is my link for this week. https://fredgardenerblog2.wordpress.com/2025/01/25/six-on-saturday-25-01-25/
LikeLiked by 1 person